Coming to you live from my couch featuring sweatpants and cat snuggles on the side! As I look back at my shoot with Chelsea and Jeremiah, the day could have not gone more perfect. Both are models signed with Directions USA and no they are not a real couple! In the modeling industry, sometimes you are paired with someone to be your fake hunny bunny, fake child, or fake friends. Anything you see on tv ads, and circulars in the paper most of the time the couples or people in them just met each other that day. There are a few models who are real life couples or family members as well!

We photographed at Rita Dee Farms, an alpaca farm located just outside of Winston-Salem. Spencer and Denise are dear friends of mine and LOVE having farm visitors! No alpacas were in the photos, they did eat their weight in carrots from meeting their new friends!

My favorite images to take are of people interacting and just having fun! How can you not have fun at an alpaca farm? Rita Dee Farm's has beauty everywhere you turn. I've attached a few links at the bottom, including my fabulous Hair and Makeup gal Hannah! NC ladies if you are in need of a HMUA she needs to be your go to! I swear you won't be disappointed.

I thought I would start off my 1st blog post with a little about me and what you can look forward to seeing from my posts in the future. This is my first blog I've done for myself, and not as the voice as someone else, so hopefully I don't weird you out too much (or maybe just enough).

My name is Shana, I'm a photographer, stylist, and social media maven, living in The Land Of The Sky, good ole North Carolina. Living in the middle of the state means I'm two hours away from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, and about three hours away from the sparkling waters of the NC coast, how lucky am I?

me and my crazy ginger locks | adventures from 2016

I always introduce myself as Shana like Banana, and its something that always sticks with friends, clients and anyone I meet. I can't tell you how many times I've been called: Shania, Shannon, Sharon, etc. In college, I finally said "Shana, Shana like Banana." and it has been a part of me ever since. And yes I do love bananas, especially my Grammy's homemade banana pudding!

I grew up with my grandparents and while for some that might not sound like fun or the ideal life, growing up with an older generation was perfect for me. I was never bored, I had homemade sweets available 24/7 and the best playmates a girl could ask for. My best memories are from when I was a child, traveling up and down the Outerbanks of NC with my grandfather. Running up the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, riding the ferry over to Ocracoke with a sleeve of crackers for the birds and always a camera in hand. My grandfather told me to bring a camera wherever you go, you never know what adventure awaits.

My Grandparents- otherwise known as Grammy and Grammpy

Fast forward to the present, after having random part time jobs here and there, in May 2016, I started my journey as a full-time freelance photographer! I specialize in lifestyle and I mainly photograph model portfolios and boutiques. I also style for clients as well and run a handful of social media outlets for a few. What can I say? I love wearing many hats. My boyfriend is also a photographer, I love when we can put our creatives brains together and produce something simply magical.

behind the scenes of some of my shoots

I would describe my style as a combination of a few things: earthy, bohemian style of living, with a glaze of realness and a pinch of weirdness. I love capturing the organic moments and try to bring a fun atmosphere to every shoot I do. I take away something new from every shoot, and try my best to make the next shoot better than the last.

images from 2016

Most of my posts will be of images from the latest shoots that I have done. My goal is to do one for every shoot: model testing, family minis, something personal or whatever it is. The images below are from my latest test shoot with Model Alyssa, signed with New York Model Management. Her and her boyfriend Yury were so great! They didn't need much direction at all and brought a lively aurora in any situation I put them in- including the blustery NYC cold. To see more of my recent work, please follow my Instagram: @shana__banana

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my ramblings. I look forward to hearing from friends old/new and what you think! Please don't hesitate to comment or drop an email to say hello.